Self-closing can



(No Model.)

LSEXTON. SELF GLOSIN G GAN.

Nd. 521,555. I Patented June 19,1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

ISAAC SEXTON, or SoMEEvILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-CLOSING CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,556, dated June 19, 1894.

' Application filed March 2, 1894. Serial No. 502,128, (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC SEXTON, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self Closing Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sheet metal cans which are provided with stoppers automatically closed by spring pressure, and it has for its object to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby a spring located' within the body of the can may be caused to close the stopper thereof, as I will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,-Figure l represents a vertical section of a can provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view showing the stopper, the spring which controls the stopper, and a means for supporting the spring in the can and for connecting it with the stopper.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings,a represents the body and b the breast of a sheet metal can of vertical form. Y

0 represents the mouth of the can, which is preferably tapering in vform, as shown, and has at its lower portion a seat for the stopper d, the latter being formed to closely fit said seat and maintain a liquid-tight joint when closed.

6 represents a rod which is rigidly affixed to the stopper and extends both upwardly and downwardly therefrom. The upper portion of the rod 6 is provided with a handle 8' located above the stopper, while its lower portion is connected with the central portion of a chain or other suitable flexible device f. The ends of said chain are connected with the ends of a metal spring g, which is connected at its center by means of a rivet h or otherwise, with the rigid metallic cross-bar or bridge '5 the ends of which are suitably affixed to the can, preferably by having their bent ends 41 soldered to the breast of the can, although if desired, said ends may be soldered to the body portion a, or secured in any other suitable way. The spring 9 rests upon the upper surface of the bridge 2', and its ends are free to rise from said surface. Thus the bridge forms a stop or rest to prevent the springs from drawing the stopper too tightly into its seat. When the spring is in its normal position, its ends are depressed and act through the chain f to pull downwardly on the rod e, and thus hold the stopper 01 yieldingly against its seat. When the operator pulls upwardly on the handle 6' the spring yields and permits the stopper to be raised from its seat.

It will be seen that the above-described construction provides a simple and efiective means for connecting the spring with the body of thecan and with the stopper in such manner as to hold the stopper yieldingly in its operative position and permits the use of the rod e which being rigid, always guides the stopper properly to its seat. If a weight instead of the Spring were employed, the connection with the stopper would have to be flexible and passed through a guide eye in order to properly draw the stopper to its seat when the can is not in perfectly vertical position.

I claim- 1. A can provided with a transverse bridge having a centrally attached spring the ends of which are free to rise, combined with a stopper and connections substantially as described between said stopper and the ends of the spring the said bridge forming a rest or stop for the ends of the spring when in their normal position.

2. The combination of the can having the rigid bridge '5, the spring centrally attached to said bridge and having its ends free to rise therefrom, the chain or flexible connection f secured to the ends of the spring, the stopper d, and the rigid rod 6 secured to the center of the chain and to the stopper, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 24th day of February, A. D. 1894.

ISAAC SEXTON. 

